Telescoping joints for pipelines have long been known since it is important in the repair of pipelines, particularly subsea pipelines, that the damaged section be removed and that a piece of the correct length be inserted in place of the removed section. In subsea locations, the repair of pipelines is done by divers or remotely operated vehicles. The repair of subsea pipelines generally requires that the operation of the replacement section include a telescoping joint and that it be easy and simple to operate so that divers or remotely operated vehicles may perform such repairs with a maximum of efficiency.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,371,198 discloses a telescoping joint with metal bellows for sealing and locking the joint. The metal bellows is positioned in an annular space between the outer members interior surface and the inner members exterior surface. Actuation is pressure responsive, which moves annular pistons into compressive engagement with the bellows causing the bellows to move radially outward and inward into sealing engagement with the above mentioned surfaces.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,109,945 discloses another telescoping joint with separate sealing and gripping means. The sealing sleeve is moved by flange bolts to set the annular seal and the gripping sleeve is also similarly moved to set the gripping slips.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,131,287 discloses an annular seal for use in an oil and gas well. This seal involves a central metal seal member having inner and outer lips facing in both directions and wedge members positioned between the lips to force them into tight sealing engagement with the inner and outer walls. Each of the legs has a tapered shoulder which is adapted to engage with a mating taper on its wedge. The engagement of these tapers causes the lips to be urged away from the wall against which each lip is in sealing engagement on retraction of the wedge and thus assists in the unsetting of the seal assembly.
A recently filed U.S. patent application, Ser. No. 06/761,692, filed Aug. 2, 1985, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,720,124, by W. M. Taylor and T. R. Schmitz discloses a telescoping joint with lightly serrated cylindrical surfaces having an interference fit on the inner and outer members and movement of the two members is allowed by the introduction of pressure between the members to overcome the interference fit which allows the adjustment in length of the joint. On release of pressure, such surfaces engage each other to lock the joint in position and to provide a metal-to-metal seal. One embodiment of this application allows pressure to be used to move the members of the joint to an extended position.